Known
by debbydo0dles45
Summary: Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige all attend a boarding school in upstate New York. See how their lives play out.
1. Prue

**Hellloooo. This is a new fic I'm starting. I expect to finish it and for it to actually be good :) All four sisters are in it, and it will be written from each of their POV's in different chapters. Basically, it is the story of the girls' lives in an Upstate New York Boarding School. **

**Disclaimer-I don't own Charmed. Mild references to the It Girl series by Cecily von Ziegeser are also not of my ownership.**

**Prue-Chapter 1**

_"Life isn't about finding yourself, It's about creating yourself."-George Bernard Shaw_

The sun was coming through the windows, the same annoying wakeup that reminded me who I was and who I had become, each and every morning of every day. The wakeup that always manages to make my a little bit sad inside.

Again, I had forgetten to close the blinds last night after sneaking in from the party that was over in Block 7. Damn. If I don't start being more careful, one day I'm going to get caught, and then like nothing, my whole reputation, as the beautiful, perfect, intriguing me, will be over.

Luckily, this time it was a Saturday, and there was nowhere to be. Well, at least not at any classes, which I might've skipped anyway, since my head is killling me. My sole job today was to try and convince my sisters to come with me to pick up our other sister up at the train station.

So basically, i'd be going alone, I realized rubbing my temples, even though I know it's not going to help me any.

I roll myself out of bed, tossing my indigo silk goose down comforter over my 500 thread count egyptian cotton sheets. I wince as my feet touch the cold carpet of the dormitory floor. Its that stupid fall chill of upstate New York. Upstate New York, which I happen to love.

I run my hand through my raven hair which I've let grow down long and straight almost to my ass and let out a big yawn as I peer out the window. What bit of a bad mood I had dissipates as I am once again shocked at the beauty of the changing leaves and the bright morning sky. I can't help opening up the window and inhaling a whiff of the sweet, earthy air. It's never like this in California.

"Fuck, Delilah, shut the window!" my roomate Willa groans pulling her own expenisve bedding over her blonde (natural!) hair. "Jesus Christ, it's a Saturday" she groans patting her matted head.

"A Barrington Bee always wakes up bright and early!" I tease mocking our school's cheesy handbook which refers to us as the Barrington Bees. Barrington Prepatory School, being where we live and learn, and Bees because we're supposed to be chipper little workers.

"Fuck you" she grumbles before retreated back under her covers. I smile.

And I'll tell you partying is a lot of work.

Even though I don't want to, I close the window, with this tiny ache in my chest. I can't let anybody see me human. Then, I'll be nothing again.

I'll tell you, my life wasn't always like this, a little game of cat and mouse, trying to stay on top, and not get overthrown by the next wannabe. See? Even that sounds stuck up. But, if I was myself, I wouldn't have any friends. I'd be bland and boring Prue, instead of the admired Delilah.

Up until this year, I spent half of the year living with my Grams, and all three of my sister's in California. The other half of the year I spent here. With only two of my sisters. The time we spent here was classified as the "custody time" our Dad is entitled too. He is the one who pays to send us here. He actually pays for everything. He's the reason why I live in this pretty sweet dormitory and the reason why my closet is full of the clothes that make me so sucessful.

For that reason alone, I value him.

However, my baby sister Paige, is only my half sister. God, how I used to envy her when I was first shipped off her 5 years ago when I was twelve. She was only four at the time, but I was so jealous. Her Dad was still around. In fact, he lived (and still does) just ten minutes from the Manor where our Grams lives. She would never be made to uproot herself. She wasn't abandoned. She wasn't unwanted.

Or so I thought. She's only nine, still a baby, a little kid. Grams is getting older and she decided she couldn't handle Paige any longer. Sometimes she is just the biggest bitch. Paige isn't a bad kid necessarily, well not really anyway. She acts out, and gets herself into trouble. It's not major trouble though, just childhood trouble, like not doing her homework or breaking somebody's window with a baseball. Still, She isn't the "perfect" grandaughter, meaning not a bother or a second thought. As Grams constantly tells her, she is the square peg in a circle family.

I used to see her face fall when Grams would tell her this. But not recently. For the short time I saw her, March through August, she was not my same sister. She had lost it. A complete terror with an empty look in her eyes, that only deepened when Phoebe told her the truth that our Mom died during her birth.

Phoebe and Piper blame her. (Well, Piper does and has sucessfully stuck this belief onto Phoebe.) I don't. How can I?

I think the problem is we're all so different. When we are in California we are all more together, all dressing preppy in brands like Lacoste, Juicy, Polo, Abercrombie...that sort of thing. That's what everyone wore. But in New York, it works differently.

You see here, individuality and sophistication is what is weighed. You must either come into this school with a persona and an unoccupied classification, or you must create yourself. Create or be killed.

So Piper, 15, is the laid back casual girl in jeans and a sweater, or sweatsuits, or basically anything that looks incredibly comfortable. But I'll tell you, it takes way more than it looks like to appear effortless. It also works in her favor that she's a big old dork with a pair of Prada glasses. Adds that touch of individuality we all need.

Phoebe is the little bohemian hippie child. She is always wearing some long flowing skirt, or dress, or knit cap. It suits her really, and she has an incredible knowledge of who she is even at 13. Seeing her so carefree everyday makes me wonder how she functioned in the monotony of the Baker school system. She's too mature for her age though in so many ways I wish I could bring back my little sister. She's on my level really when it comes to most matters.

And Paige. My baby from the day she was born. Mom was dead, and Paige was the last piece of her I had. The freshest, most innocent, untainted thing, and that makes her sacred. She's the last thing that made my mom happy, and thats more than I can say about myself. Half sister or whole sister, she's still mine. She hates me though, because I "leave" her every year. This year she threatened to kill herself because Grams decided we were all to be sent away for the whole year.

She has major issues, and I try to help, but she sees a therapist once a week, so i guess its his job really. She's been diagnosed as a 'passive agressive with mild sociopathic tendencies". Basically, she hates to do what she is told and sometimes doesn't care about hurting other people.

So I say she's human. But, she is also the only person I know who had her first nervous breakdown at age eight. I love her despite all of this, which makes me the closest thing to a mother she'll ever get, since Grams is emotionally abusive (she was to all of us to a certaine extent )She has her Dad too, and they have a fascinatingly normal relationship. He keeps her stable, and I know we'll help her through it. Well, I will at least, since Grams in a moment of selfishness threw her on the next train to Albany, leaving me with no more than a brief text message instucting me to "haul my skinny ass up" (which you probably think is shallow for citing the main barrier between me and my sisters as fashion) and go get her.

Ah yes. My skinny ass. To my sisters (sometimes) I am known as Prue, short for Prudence, or rather Prudence Delilah Astrid Halliwell. When I came to Barrington though, I decided to go by my middle name , so now I'm Delilah to one and all. Delilah, classy, beautiful, enthralling, chic, model, and fashionista.

Psh yeah right. Tell that to the invisible boys banging down my door.

I hear the bells from the tower located on campus and panic as I pick up my Sidekick. Holy Canoli, its 10:30. I'm supposed to get Paige in fifteen minutes.

I throw on a goldenrod sparkly baby-doll dress with spaghetti straps, black leggings, and my favorite Jimmy Choo blue ankle boots. I also throw my Stella McCartney red leather jacket over the whole thing to keep me warm. Well, it probably won't do its job,but it looks nice so whatever.

Appearances, appearances. I wish I could just wear oversized sweats.

I grab my keys and my Balenciaga bag as I run out the door, not panicking just yet. I mean, Paige can wait. I cannot hold this whole family together myself, it is simply not my job.

This is where the good me says, "If you want something done right, you do it yourself" while the shallow whore argues "Worry about yourself dear"

These thoughts are too deep for the morning anyway. I'll just consider them later.

"Later Willa" I call only to be shooed with more groans from the best friend I have in this whole place.

Which honestly doesn't mean much.


	2. Piper

**Second Chapter right away! Woohoo! P.s. Growing up Halliwell will be updated soon!**

**Chapter Two-Piper**

"I'm a Mommy's Girl - the strongest influence in my young life was my mom." Susie Bright

I was already well up and ready at the time the knock came at my door. I knew it would be Prue, I knew she was going to try and convince me to accompany her to get Paige, and I knew I was going to say no. These were facts.

What aren't facts are the emotions I would feel while refusing. How guilty, how upset, but mostly how angry I was. Angry at Mom for dying, angry at Grams for being insensitive, angry at Paige for being the reason why, angry at Prue for just not getting it, or me. She's supposed to be my big sister. She's supposed to care about me. I don't have anyone else.

"Piper? Piper? May I come in please?" I hear Prue's raspy voice call from the other side of the oak door. Only I can hear the real Prue. The scared, lost, unsure Prue.

This is because I know her, know that Delilah is just a facade, and that I have the ability to ruin her entire reputation. I wouldn't though. Despite what people say, I'm really not that much of a bitch.

I have an ironic sort of loneliness, that makes me so want company, but shove everybody away at the same time. What can I say, I was scarred from an early age. Nevertheless, I have to let Prue in. So I pull myself out of my favorite blue armchair and rise to the door. Might as well get this over with.

"What's up?' I say casually tossing the door open with a smirk at my eldest sister dressed in what she thinks makes her look like a model, but actually just makes her look even more anorexic.

"You know what's up Piper" Prue scowls at me, her steely eyes narrowing into an intimidating glare "Paige is coming today"

"Oh? It's Saturday already?" I say playing the astonished idiot

"Oh, c'mon Piper, I know you're not that much of an idiot. Seriously I've known you your entire life."

"My intelligence has nothing to do with my impaired ability to retain date, Prudence." I retort, tilting my chin in the air in a way that makes me look superior even though I'm not.

"_Delilah." _She scowls through gritted teeth "For the millionth time, I want to be called Delilah"

Now, this pisses me off. I look her right in the eye "Now, seriously Prue" I say imitating her "I've known you your entire life, and you aren't who you say you are. "

Her brow furrows deeper and she pirouettes on her high heels so that her back is to be. "Fuck this entire family" she huffs thinking nobody will hear, though I do. "Just make Paige worse than she is already then." She says louder, addressing me.

"Eh, she'll be okay" I say nonchalantly. "I mean she has… _Delilah_"

What do I get in response from my big sister? I brazen middle finger, telling me how she really feels.

I sigh. She'll never understand me will she?

I watch her black head bob down the steps of our shared dormitory building down to Phoebe's floor, where I know she will try and get her to tag along.

But Phoebe won't even be awake yet, so she'll just have to get over it, and be by herself for once.

Maybe for the time she's gone, I can pretend I don't live in her shadow.

I walk myself outside and downstairs to the dining hall, where all the early birds of the weekend are already seated and eating away at the nasty food that the school gives us, despite the heavy tuitions we pay.

I sigh, grab an oat-bran muffin and a small container of orange juice before heading out to the sitting room, just in front.

I curl up in my favorite armchair as I eat and watch my oldest sister, who I love so much, (even though she doesn't know it) exit our dorm. She walks away, her steps angry and her body tense, aggravated at mine, and obviously Phoebe's refusal to cooperate.

Maybe one day, she'll notice me, when she's not so busy being popular. Maybe one day, it'll be like before, and she'll have time to hang out with a loser like me.

Some days, I'll I've got is maybe.


	3. Phoebe

**Chapter 3-Phoebe **

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."  
**Langston Hughes**

I was dreaming when Ruthie jumped on the bed to wake me up. My mom was holding me, hugging me, telling me she was here, watching always, and then her face morphed into Prue's and I started falling. That's when my roommate and best friend attacked, and shook me out of this blissful state.

"Ruthie!" I groaned pulling the covers back up over my head. "It is sooo a Saturday"

Ruthie bent down and lifted the blankets to expose my face once again. I blinked up into her clear celery green eyes and rubbed my eyes as her red hair and bright smile came into focus.

"Exactly!" she exclaimed "We have to fill our day with the funnest stuff possible"

"Is funnest even a word?" I ask, swinging my legs over the side of my bed, immediately cold, as I am just in a tank top and a pair of shorts.

"Everything is a word, once you say it" Ruthie reasons, and I don't have time to debate the fact as I become distracted by the persistent knocking and yelling from the other side of my door.

"Hey Pheebs! Pheebs, you up?" Prue's voice drifts in from the other side "C'mon, I'm really not in the mood today."

"Alright, alright already!" I yell back trudging to the door and swinging it open dramatically

"So are you coming or not", she demands immediately, and I have no idea what she's talking about

"Pardon me?' I ask cocking my head to the side, as I see her blood boil.

"Phoebe Halliwell!" she shouts "It's 10:30, and our eight year old baby sister is currently waiting by herself at a train station because Piper, and apparently you also are refusing to help me out!"

I frown, resentful at the way Prue is using her older sister power to make it seem like this is somehow my fault. Any tender feelings I was having towards her, remnants from my dream quickly fade away as I poise myself to retort.

"I didn't know, Prue!" I reply indignantly "Seriously! I'll get ready now and come along if you want"

"No! No! There is just no time! Thanks for being a help as always Pheebs!" Prue cries before turning away down the hall, all huffy

I sigh deeply as I dash back in the room and in a second flat slip on a knit cap, poncho, and jeans. I run down the hall after my oldest sister as fast as I possibly can to prevent her getting even angrier.

Sometimes, she can be so incredibly irrational.

I get downstairs just in time to watch her through the glass wall to wall windows stomp across the campus to her car.

I almost want to dash out after her, but why should I?

"Whatever" I mutter out loud and turn away to be greeted by Piper's smirking face sitting in one of the armchairs picking at a muffin.

"I see she woke you up too then?" she asks me, motioning for me to join her.

I move over to the chair and plop down next to her. "No, that was Ruthie" I laugh "She just reinforced it, per say"

Piper rolls her eyes in her head behind her expensive glasses. "You know, I love Prue, I really do. But man…"

"What did we do to deserve her?" I pick up. "Oh, don't I know the feeling."

"Well, if she keeps it up, very soon Delilah is going to be less two sisters" Piper frowns looking down to her crumby breakfast.

"Actually make it three" I reply looking into Piper's eyes that match mine as I steal a piece of muffin. "She's running more than a little late to get Paige"

Piper's eyes widen. Even though she resents Paige in some ways, she is still incredibly protective of her. "So you mean to tell me an 8 year old is by herself, waiting in a busy public train station, for our oldest sister who just left five minutes ago?"

"Yeah, uh, pretty much" I reply my brow furrowing. "I hope Prue gets there soon anyway, but right now there really isn't anything we can do. Neither of us can drive yet, unless you wanna horseback it over there" I add with a grin

She grins back, glad we are still close enough to have shared interests, although it seems as though we are drifting away from our oldest and youngest sisters. We don't really get to get into the deep stuff though.

"Piper!" one of her friends waves her over from across the hall "A bunch of us are going over to the mall in Cara's car? You coming?"

"Yeah, duh. I'll be there in a second Lily" Piper brushes her friend off temporarily "Well, that's my call Pheebs" she says leaning over to kiss my head "Call me if you need anything"

She gets up and walks over to her friends.

"Nice of you to invite me" I mumble under my breath as I look down to pick at my nails, just as a thought occurs to me.

"Piper wait!" I call, jumping up after her. She turns around from a few feet away with a questioning glare in her eye.

"Make sure you're here when Paige comes okay?" I ask more than instruct

She nods and gives me a thumbs up sign before she walks away, assuring me, in the most unreasssuring way possible that she will be back soon enough.

Well, at least nobody will ever be able to accuse me of not trying.


	4. Paige

**Chapter Four-Paige **

"I grew up sort of like a princess. I was the baby of the family"- Rachel Bilson

Sometimes, I think my mom could see the future, cause the initials of the three names she gave each of my sisters and me spell out so much about each of us.

Prudence Delilah Astrid spells out PDA or Public Display of Affection, which she can often be seen doing with one of her many "boyfriends"

Piper Isabella Grace spells out PIG, which is you know, a yucky old farm animal that eats a lot and snorts. Piper reminds me of a pig sometimes, but only when she's being mean to me.

Phoebe Marie Sophia spells out PMS, which I know means pre-menstrual syndrome, which all of my sisters get every single month and makes them mean to be for no reason. It also makes them cry a lot. Phoebe cries a lot, but nobody knows, except me.

And then there's me, lastest and youngest, Paige Elizabeth Geraldine, which spells out PEG, on account 'a Grams says I'm a square peg in a circle family. I think it means I don't fit in very well.

Which I don't. Grams says I've got a nasty attitude, but Dr. Beaumont says it isn't my fault. He says I'm just sad inside, but I don't let people see where it hurts so they can't make me feel better and instead I make them hurt too.

I told him no, I just hate everybody, which made him scribble all frantic on his legal pad.

So, he thinks I'm a sociopath, which means I don't understand how what I do affects others, and that there is no cure. And then Grams said, "Well then" and sent me off to boarding school with my sisters, but only after I screamed so loud the neighbors called the cops.

I know I'm not a sociopath though. Because if I was I would kill small animals like the crazy kids on Law and Order, and I like small animals. I just don't like my Grams, or Dr. Beaumont.

Or Mrs. Phillips, or Mr. Smith or the checkout girl at the grocery store. But that's only cause they were mean to me first.

I like my sisters though. They are nice to me most of the time. I especially like Prue, who says she'll be my Mommy when I cry about not having one.

Piper says that parts my fault, and sometimes Phoebe agrees. Maybe they were fighting about it this morning, which is why I'm still alone at the train station.

It must be a funny sight. Me, a small little girl, even small for an eight year old, waiting by herself with big big BIG expensive luggage bags on an ugly old wooden bench.

I shiver. Its really cold out today. It doesn't help that Grams dressed me in a dress as usual. Its one of my favorite dresses actually, red on top with a white skirt covered with roses. I also have a red barrette in my hair so I match, which Grams says I have to all the time. \

You can't see my dress though, because I'm wearing my blue pea coat over it, and a beret on my head is covering the barrette. All you can see are a few my black curls, the same color as Prue's hair, and my hazel eyes peeking out from under the beret.

I hope I look okay.

I kick my feet back and forth slowly as I watch the trains pass by, and wonder if possibly I was wrong, or Grams was wrong and Prue is not coming today. Or maybe, she didn't get Grams' message.

Maybe Grams didn't even send one.

I frown as I look up, ad make eye contact wit the various passerbies.

_Save me. _ I say through my eyes. _ I'm hurt._

I imagine I must look pretty pathetic, all by myself and everything. So I might as well enjoy myself by believing that somebody in the stupid world cares about me.

In the distance I hear my name being called. "Paigey!"

I look up. I see Prue, rushing towards me a few feet away looking harried and worried.

Worried? About me?

"Paige!" She rushes up to where I am sitting and scoops me up into her arms in a huge hug.

"Prue!" I say and hug her back, even though it comes out more like "Pwue" You see, I have a lisp that just won't seem to correct itself.

Grams says its cause I spent the first four years of my life with my thumb permanently secured in my mouth. Dr. Beaumont says I can correct if I want to and that I'm doing it on purpose. My sisters say it's cute.

I say its congenital, which I learned from reading the dictionary means "existing from birth and onwards"

See? I can be smart if I wanna.

"I'm sorry I'm so late Paigey" she apologizes kissing me on the cheek and then replacing me on the ground.

"Don't worry" I say (or rather, Don't wowwy), "I wasn't waiting too long"

Even though I was. But her big blue eyes look sad, and I don't want her to be sad cause of me.

She smiles "I knew you'd forgive me. Well," she says shrugging her shoulders "I guess it's off to school then huh kiddo?"

I shrug back. It's not like I have a choice. "Alright" I say with a sigh

Prue takes me by the hand, and I like the way it feels, my small fingers safe within her palm. I look up at her, as she leads me and my bags out of the train station.

"Something wrong?" she asks me, puzzlement on her face.

"It's cold here" I point out with a pout and a shiver "I don't like it"

She laughs "You'll get used to it. Besides, you'll fit in because practically nobody around here is tan."

'At least I won't have to wear sunscreen in the winter anymore" I reply, looking on the upside of things

"That's the spirit squirt" she says with a smile. "I'm sure you'll love it here. With me, and Piper, and Phoebe, and lots of other little girls your age"

I roll my eyes, though she won't be able to see. "Yay" I mumble under my breath as we climb into the car.

I don't really get along much with other kids my age.


End file.
